The Utica Center for Development/ CNY Veteran's Outreach Center was founded in 2007, by a returning Afghanastan Combat Veteran. The founder and current Executive Director, SSG Vincent Scalise noticed that some of his soldiers were returning back from war and had nothing. No job, no food, and worse, literally homeless, living in their vehicles. This was extremely disturbing, and motivated SSG Scalise to establish a non-profit that could assist veterans transition into civilian life.
The Utica Center for Development/ CNY Veteran's Outreach Center provides a wide variety of services to veterans and their families. The center provides individual assistance to veterans and their families, who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Case managers have assisted over 500 veterans and their family members in the past 3 years alone. Veteran clients are typically financially assisted with security deposit, first, and second months rent. Case managers are assigned to veteran clients and aid in housing search, job search, obtaining VA benefits, healthcare, legal assistance, education benefits, and referrals to other supporting agencies. The organization is an integral part of the community that takes literally homeless veterans off of the street and places them into stable and affordable housing. Upon client discharge, 97% of clients served are financially stable and can sustain their housing arrangements and lifestyle upon discharge from the program.
The Center also provides Veteran's Assistance Program which is a food pantry and donation room that are utilized by 200-250 veterans and their family members per month, averaging in 2,400 individuals assisted per year. The Veteran's Assistance Program assists veteran's who need help moving from one house to another, provides furnishings for their new housing situation, coordinates and transports veterans and their families to needed doctors appointments, and drops off food to those veterans who are unable to come to the food pantry.
Here are just a few of our veteran success stories:
A Vietnam Veteran was behind in rent due to losing his mother and paying for her funeral costs. He was facing eviction and very concerned that he would end up living on the street. The veteran was assigned a case manager, and was approved for financial assistance through the SSVF grant program offered at the center. Through these funds, the veteran's back owed rent was paid, and the program paid for an additional months rent to build up the veteran's savings. After the veteran was housed and financially stable, he proceeded to attend weekly case management meetings. During case management, the veteran admitted that he does not get out to socialize enough and that he would like to volunteer at the center to help other veterans like he was helped. He continues to volunteer at the center on a daily basis, and helps drive veterans to their doctor's appointments.
A young veteran was literally homeless and sleeping at the Rescue Mission in Utica. Upon intake, the Rescue Mission referred the young veteran to the center. The veteran came into the center, and was connected with a case manager immediately. The case manager found the veteran stable housing and a job within one week. Now, the young veteran comes into the center frequently to volunteer, and is working in social work, to support and inspire others in their time of need, just like his case worker supported and inspired him.
The Utica Center for Development/ CNY Veteran's Outreach Center would like to thank its community members for their support and donations that help the organization reduce hunger and homelessness amongst our service members who have given so much to our community and our country. It is an honor to serve our community service members!
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